A Stonking Dublin Theatre Festival in Store for Us This Year

The Dublin Theatre Festival returns this September with an eclectic programme, taking place in a variety of venues around the city.

The Dublin Theatre Festival is one of the most anticipated events on the local arts and culture calendar, bringing together the most accomplished international and local artists, theatre-makers and audiences. The festival traditionally takes place from the final Thursday in September to the second Saturday in October – the 2015 edition runs from 24th September to 11th October.

The festival was first established in 1957, and each year has successfully built upon its reputation and its contribution to the vibrant social and cultural life of the capital. The spirit of the festival lies in the people who engage with it as dedicated friends or curious spectators, and the participation of all the artists, audiences and guests is highly valued by the organisers.

The Dublin Theatre Festival aims to capture the imagination of the city’s citizens, with the hope of nurturing a sense of connection and community. After all, at the heart of the festival is the city of Dublin – its people and its stories.

The 2015 Dublin Theatre Festival opens with The Night Alive, directed by Conor McPherson, and starring Adrian Dunbar, Frank Grimes, Laurence Kinlan, Ian Lloyd- Anderson, and Kate Stanley Brennan. Following successful runs in London and New York, the play makes its Irish premiere in a highly anticipated new co-production with the Lyric Theatre Belfast.

Other notable productions to feature on the festival programme include Wallflower by Quarantine from the UK, a dance marathon that alters according to the players; A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller, which plays at the Gate Theatre and is directed by Joe Dowling, as part of the Arthur Miller Centenary; Chekhov’s First Play by Dead Centre – the audience are given headphones to wear throughout the performance and will be required to move and stand for a short period – be warned, the play contains nudity, strong language and loud and sudden noises; Landmark Productions and Wide Open Opera’s production of The Last Hotel by Donnacha Dennehy and Enda Walsh, which also contains strong language and material that some may find disturbing; Newcastlewest, a new comedy by Dick Walsh, which looks at indeterminacy, randomness and the role of fate; and Luck Just Kissed You Hello by Amy Conroy, presented by HotForTheatre and Galway International Arts Festival, playing at Project Arts Centre.

The Dublin Theatre Festival provides a platform to showcase the best of Irish theatre to the world, with a programme that incorporates not only theatre, but also music, dance and family events as well as artist talks, public discussions and artist development programmes.

The full programme for the festival is available on the official website, and tickets are also available through the site. Concessions are available in person for senior citizens, actors’ equity, the unwaged, and full-time students with appropriate ID.